Fall Girl (Garden Girls Christian Cozy Mystery Book 9)

by Hope Callaghan

  Lucy nodded. “Good idea.” She studied the faces. Lucy recognized several people. Some of them were Bill’s hunting and fishing pals. Bill’s daughters and their spouses stood close to the fountain.

  The employees from All Seasons Sporting Goods gathered in a small cluster near Bill’s family.

  “Over there…near the angel statue,” Lucy pointed.

  Gloria’s eyes drifted to the angel.

  “The lady with the hoochie mama outfit. That’s Bill’s ex-wife, Victoria.”

  Lucy had given an accurate description of Bill’s ex. She was wearing a tight fitting, hip hugging, super short black dress that showed too much cleavage, at least in Gloria’s opinion. “Where does she live?”

  “Detroit, I think.”

  Detroit. The same place where the gun shop was located. Gloria wondered if there was a possible connection. Was Bill’s ex-wife somehow involved in his death? Had she hired a hitman?

  Surely, Bill had a will and that would be the first place investigators would look.

  The girls wove their way through the throng of people and studied the faces as they worked their way around the cement fountain. Hundreds of lit candles lined the ledge.

  The glow from the candles bounced off the tranquil water that surrounded the fountain. It was peaceful and serene.

  Someone began to sing, “Amazing Grace.” Gloria and Lucy joined in. A tear rolled down Lucy’s cheek and she hastily brushed it away.

  “You!” A woman’s shrill voice cut through the solemn reverence of the song.

  All eyes turned as Victoria Volk marched across the grass and stopped in front of Lucy. She lifted a blood red fingernail and pointed it at Lucy. “What are you doing here?” she shrieked.

  “I’m paying my respects,” Lucy answered in a calm even voice.

  “Out!” Victoria shouted, her fists clenched at her sides. “Get out!”

  The crowd parted and Lucy and Gloria shuffled to the park’s entrance. Every eye was on the two of them as they made their way down the sidewalk and through the gates.

  Gloria opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the sound of tires squealing. She looked up just in time to see a car swerve off to one side. It almost sideswiped another car before it careened out of the parking lot and onto the road.

  She could hear the roar of the car’s engine as it raced off into the dark night.

  “I know who you are!” A voice screamed. The voice, a woman’s voice, sounded very familiar. It was Andrea. She was standing near the center of the parking lot, shaking her fist in the direction of the car.

  “Looks like Andrea found the car’s owner,” Gloria commented.

  Andrea stomped over to the spot that the car in question had just vacated. She nearly collided with Lucy and Gloria. “Oh! There you are!”

  She waved her arms wildly in the air. “I know who ran me off the road.”

  “Who was it?” Gloria asked.

  “That kid. The one that works at All Seasons Sporting Goods…Zeke something.”

  Chapter 16

  Gloria was stunned. “Zeke?” Why would Zeke try to run Andrea and Margaret off the road?

  Andrea’s chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath. “Yeah! When I confronted him, he shoved me to the ground, hopped in his piece of crap car and drove off. He knew he ran me into the ditch!”

  Gloria shifted her feet and stared at the exit. At the very least, Zeke was a terrible driver and inconsiderate to boot. Maybe there was more to the story. Gloria remembered how he had said that Bill told him to keep an eye on the other employees. That someone was stealing money.

  Bill’s key to the gun case was missing…or was it? What if Zeke was staying in Bill’s house? Maybe he was in cahoots with Maxim, the gun dealer?

  There were still Randy and Barbara. Gloria wasn’t ruling anyone out.

  She turned to Andrea. “Do you have time to swing by All Seasons?”

  Andrea reached for her keys. “Absolutely. I want to punch that little punk’s lights out.”

  Gloria smiled. The visual of tiny little Andrea punching anyone was hilarious. The girl had spunk. Gloria had to give her that.

  “I’ll ride with you,” Lucy offered. “We can stop back by here and pick up my jeep on the way home.”

  The girls piled into Andrea’s truck and maneuvered out of the packed parking lot. When they reached the road, Gloria turned to Andrea. “If we track him down, under no circumstances are you to approach him. He may have a weapon.”

  Andrea tightened her jaw. “I know. I’m just so dang mad.” She pounded the steering wheel in frustration. “That moron hurt Margaret.”

  Gloria shook her head. Zeke had seemed like a nice kid. Maybe she had him all wrong.

  Andrea pulled the truck into the dark, deserted parking lot of the store and drove around back. The lot was empty. There was no sign of a rusted out two-door car. Gloria was relieved. A confrontation this late at night behind a deserted building was a bad idea.

  She knew Andrea carried a concealed weapon. Not that she believed Andrea would use it unless she absolutely had to. Of course, if this young man was a killer, then maybe they would need it.

  “We should head back,” Gloria suggested. It had been a very long day and she was exhausted. So much had happened in such a short amount of time, she wasn’t sure if she was coming or going.

  “Do you think this Zeke guy is living at Bill’s place?” Lucy asked.

  Gloria had had the same thought. It was quite possible. “Maybe.”

  Lucy turned to Gloria, her expression anxious. “It wouldn’t take long to take a quick run by there to check it out.”

  “I’m game,” Andrea blurted out. More than anything, she wanted to confront this character, to demand an explanation for purposely driving her into the ditch.

  Gloria stared out the front windshield. If Zeke thought they were onto him, he might bolt. They may never catch Bill’s killer.

  If he was the killer, and he knew they were onto him, would he lie in wait, expecting them to show up? She wasn’t keen on walking blindly into a dangerous situation.

  Maybe he was just a dumb kid who did a dumb thing and then got caught. Maybe not.

  Andrea patted her purse. “I’m packing heat.”

  Gloria groaned. “That’s what I was afraid of.”

  Lucy directed Andrea to Bill’s street and then pointed to the long, winding drive that led to his house.

  Andrea slowed the truck. “Should we or shouldn’t we?” She didn’t wait for an answer as she cranked the wheel and started down the narrow drive.

  “Kill the lights,” Lucy suggested.

  Andrea promptly shut off the headlamps but left the fog lights on.

  The closer they got, the louder Gloria’s heart pounded in her chest. Were they driving right into a trap?

  Technically, they were trespassing. If there were someone living in Bill’s house with his permission, that person would have every right to call the cops.

  Gloria decided to keep that thought to herself.

  When they reached the end of the drive, the ranch house came into view.

  Curtains covered the large front picture window. Small rays of light beamed out from the edges. “Someone is in there,” Lucy said.

  Andrea let off the gas and the truck coasted the rest of the way. Parked next to the house was a vehicle, but it wasn’t Zeke’s rust bucket. It was a newer sedan and one that Gloria didn’t recognize.

  “I wonder who that belongs to,” Gloria said. She reached inside her purse and pulled out her cell phone. She switched the phone to on and handed it to Lucy, who was in the passenger seat. “Take a picture of the license plate.”

  Lucy reached for the phone. “We’re not close enough.”

  “That can be arranged.” Andrea tapped the gas pedal and the truck lurched forward. When they got close, Lucy lifted the phone and snapped a photo. “I hope it turns out. It’s awfully dark.”

  “Four TX E71,” Gloria repeated
the numbers in her head. “Text that to me.”

  Lucy handed the phone back. “I have no idea how to operate your phone.”

  She reached in her pocket, pulled out her own phone and began tapping the screen. “Done.”

  “Uh-oh,” Andrea moaned. “Someone is coming!”

  “Burn rubber lady!” Gloria shouted.

  Andrea obeyed Gloria’s instructions, literally, as she jammed the truck into reverse, skidded to a halt, shoved it into drive and stomped on the gas pedal.

  The truck sailed along the drive at a good clip and even went airborne a couple times, as the truck zoomed over several ruts in the drive.

  “Someone should fix that drive,” Gloria said. She glanced behind her. There were two lights. Headlights. “I think they’re following us.”

  Andrea squealed out of the drive and careened onto the street. She pressed her foot down on the gas and the truck roared off down the road. Gloria was glad she wasn’t driving. She didn’t do too well driving after dark.

  Andrea had no problem at all.

  Gloria tugged on the edge of her seatbelt to make sure it was securely fastened. She glanced behind her.

  Off in the distance was a set of dim lights. She wasn’t certain if it was the same vehicle from Bill’s place or perhaps someone else.

  When they reached Green Springs’ city limits, Andrea slowed. “Now what?”

  “I need to pick up my jeep,” Lucy reminded her.

  “Right.” Andrea turned onto the main road and pulled into the park. The lot was still half-full and Lucy’s jeep was parked in the back.

  Andrea stopped in front of Lucy’s jeep. Lucy opened the door and started to climb out.

  “We’ll follow you home,” Andrea offered.

  “She’s not going anywhere,” Gloria stated.

  “Huh?” Lucy frowned.

  Gloria pointed at the jeep. “Your tires. They’re flat.”

  Sure enough, all four of Lucy’s tires were flatter than pancakes. “Victoria Volk,” Lucy fumed. “I’ll bet money that woman flattened my tires.”

  “Hopefully she just let the air out of them.” Gloria saw dollar signs at the thought of Lucy having to buy four brand new tires.

  “I have a flashlight.” Lucy stepped over to her passenger side door and pulled it open. She reached into her glove box and pulled out a flashlight.

  Andrea and Gloria climbed out of the truck. The girls inspected all four tires and were relieved that they hadn’t been slashed.

  Andrea shuffled over to her truck, leaned against the front quarter panel and crossed her arms. “Now what?”

  Lucy frowned. “No repair shop for miles around is open this late.”

  “What about Gus?” Andrea asked. He had been a lifesaver earlier when Andrea had been in the ditch.

  “Smart thinking.” Gloria pulled her phone from her purse, switched it to “on,” scrolled through the screen and tapped Gus’ cell phone number.

  Lucy prayed he would be able to help.

  “Hi Gus. It’s me Gloria. We have a little emergency,” she said.

  She went on. “We’re down here at Besterman Park. Someone let the air out of Lucy’s tires.” She paused. “Uh-huh. Yep. Okay we’ll be here.”

  Lucy grabbed the phone from Gloria’s hand. “Gus. You’re a lifesaver. I love you. If Mary Beth ever leaves you, I want to marry you! Okay. Bye.”

  She handed the phone back. “He said he’ll be here in less than half an hour.”

  Gus, the sweetheart, arrived right on time. He was driving a tow truck but it wasn’t the same one that he had used earlier to pull Andrea’s truck out of the ditch. This wrecker had a flat bed.

  He slid out of the driver’s seat and made his way over to where the girls were waiting. He nodded at Gloria and glanced at Andrea. “You again.”

  Andrea blushed. “Yeah. I’m having quite a day,” she admitted.

  He turned his attention to the jeep. “What’cha got?”

  “Someone let the air out of my tires,” Lucy explained.

  Gus walked over to the jeep. He inspected the tires.

  Lucy hovered nearby.

  Gus shook his head and rose to his feet. “There’s no way to air them here. I’ll have to load ‘er on the back and take her back to the station to air them up.”

  He lowered the flatbed of the truck and then hooked a hook, connected to a towrope to the front of the jeep. Next, he pulled the jeep onto the bed and secured all four tires with tire chains. He tugged on each of the tire chains to make sure the car was secure and then leveled the platform. They were ready to roll.

  Lucy rode with Gus while Gloria and Andrea followed behind.

  When they got to Gus’s shop, he wasted no time airing her tires. Gus told her he was only going charge her $50 but Lucy insisted it was more.

  Gus held up both hands. “Nah! You know I can’t charge you more, Lucy. After all, you proposed to me,” he joked.

  He wouldn’t take another dime so Lucy paid the $50.

  One the way out, Gloria slipped another $50 in his jacket pocket.

  Gus shook his head and reached for the money. “Gloria…”

  Gloria put a hand on his arm. “Gus, you’re a sweetheart…salt of the earth. You deserve it.”

  Gus clamped his mouth shut and then grinned. “Thanks Gloria.”

  The long day and chain of events had taken their toll and the girls were exhausted.

  Andrea yawned and lifted her hands over her head. “I better get going. I still have to pick up Alice.”

  Gloria hugged Andrea and patted her back. “Be careful.” She crawled into Lucy’s passenger seat and placed her head on the headrest. “I’m exhausted.”

  “Me, too,” Lucy agreed.

  Thankfully, they weren’t far from home.

  Lucy pulled the jeep into Gloria’s drive and circled around until the passenger door faced the side porch. “Talk to you in the morning.”

  “You got it.” Gloria unfastened her seatbelt and opened the door.

  She slipped out of the passenger seat. “Be careful going home.”

  Lucy rubbed her eyes. “I will.”

  Gloria closed the passenger door and slowly walked up the porch steps.

  She could see Mally’s face peeking out through the lower glass pane. Poor Mally had been home alone for most of the day. A wave of guilt washed over Gloria.

  Lucy waited until Gloria was safely inside before she pulled out of the drive.

  Inside the kitchen, Gloria peeked out the kitchen window and watched as Lucy turned onto the road.

  As soon as Lucy’s jeep turned onto the road, a vehicle appeared out of nowhere and began to tailgate Lucy. From the mercury light on the far side of the barn, Gloria caught a glimpse of the vehicle as it zoomed by.

  Her blood froze. Gloria recognized the vehicle!

  Chapter 17

  Gloria, keys still in her hand, yanked the porch door open and raced down the steps. Lucy was in trouble. She could feel it in her bones.

  All this time Gloria had been foolish to think that someone’s main objective was to frame Lucy. Not only did they want to frame Lucy, they wanted her gone. As in six-foot-under gone.

  Her mind raced. She did the only thing she could think to do as she slammed Annabelle in reverse and barreled out of the driveway.

  With one eye on the road and the other on her phone, Gloria dialed Paul’s cell phone and prayed he would pick up.

  “Hello?”

  “Lucy is in trouble,” she blurted out. “She just dropped me off at home and when she pulled out of the drive, a vehicle raced up behind and began tailgating her.”

  “Did you recognize the vehicle?”

  “I did,” Gloria said. She told Paul who owned the vehicle and gave him the make and color.

  “Where are you going now?” Paul, who had stopped by the Montbay County Sheriff station to drop off some paperwork, headed for the door.

  “To Lucy’s house.” Gloria glanced in the rearview mirror.
“Whoever it is - is out to harm her. I feel it in my bones.”

  “Don’t do anything, rash, Gloria.”

  “I-I’ll do whatever I can to save Lucy,” Gloria replied. She wouldn’t make a promise that she couldn’t keep.

  Gloria disconnected the line and dropped the phone in her lap. When Lucy’s place was in sight, she eased her foot off the gas and slowed the car. It was too dark to see!

  Gloria drove to the corner, turned around and did another drive by. Lucy’s jeep was parked close to the house.

  Directly behind Lucy’s jeep was Bill’s truck. Someone, most likely the killer, had the nerve to move into Bill’s house. Not only that, they had somehow managed to steal his truck!

  She remembered the backpack sitting next to the bed. Then she remembered Zeke, who had run Andrea off the road. Maybe Zeke was trying to kill them all!

  Gloria began to feel lightheaded and her pulse raced. Now was not the time to feel faint!

  She gripped the steering wheel tightly. “Think, Gloria, think,” she whispered aloud.

  She pressed on the gas pedal and drove past. At the next corner, she turned onto the side road and glanced down at the clock on the dashboard.

  Paul was at least 20 minutes out…Lucy might not have 20 minutes!

  Gloria studied both sides of the dirt road in search of a place to pull off. When she found an even spot where the tall grass had been trampled, she pulled off the road.

  Gloria fumbled with her cell phone as she dialed Lucy’s number. She prayed her friend would answer, and that everything would be all right but it went right to voice mail. She didn’t dare try the house phone.

  She put the car in park, killed the lights and switched the engine off. She shoved her purse on the floor and eased out of the driver’s seat.

  The weeds pressed against the side of the car and she batted them away as she eased the driver’s side door shut.

  The quarter moon, along with what seemed like a million stars, gave off a little light. Other than that, the country road was pitch black.

  Gloria shoved her cell phone in her back pocket and waited for a moment to give her eyes a chance to adjust to the lack of light.